Peer-to-peer fundraising – Canada

Jan 20, 2016

According to online fundraising and crowdfunding platform Kimbia®, one in four solicitation emails, when sent peer-to-peer, result in donations. On the contrary, when similar emails are sent directly from nonprofit organizations, the odds plummet to 1 in 1,250. That’s more than a 300 percent decrease. A similar dynamic is seen with social media fundraising. For instance, donation pages referred by friends or family members on Facebook® receive a 10 percent increase in traffic.

Enter peer-to-peer fundraising, also known as social or personal fundraising. This social form of fundraising leverages a nonprofit’s supporters to campaign on its behalf. Done well, it can engage current donors, expand nonprofits’ networks and attract new supporters.

If you’re looking to include peer-to-peer fundraising in your 2016 marketing strategy, keep reading. This e-newsletter will offer several tips on finding success with it.

Peer-to-peer fundraising best practices

Several best practices exist to help you find success with peer-to-peer fundraising. Try one or all:

Assemble a toolkit: A peer-to-peer fundraising toolkit not only arms your supporters with all they need to campaign on your behalf, it ensures the information they are sharing with others is accurate and in line with your brand, mission and vision. Toolkits should include an overview that describes your organization’s history, purpose and any compelling stories or statistics that support it. It also should contain an outline that describes the who, what, where, when and why of your campaign. A fundraising timeline with important milestones and deadlines also may be helpful. Include this information in a branded presentation folder or on a USB drive for quick and easy access.

Offer instruction: Will your supporters need to register on your website or with a fundraising platform? Or will they need to set up a personal fundraising page? Step-by-step instructions on what needs to be done, how to do it and by when can be helpful. Simple email instructions or a website link can go a long way in getting everyone on the same page. Be sure to include contact details for those who have questions or need help.

Make it fun: Your supporters are likely some of your biggest fans. Allow them to share in the fanfare by putting a little “fun” in fundraising. Swag bags containing campaign-specific magnets, bandanas and thank-you pens are a great way to show the love. You can also amplify your social efforts with badges or prizes for progress. And consider rewarding top fundraisers with tiered gifts or entries into a prize draw. A coaster set or logo’d jacket make great rewards.

Track and share progress: Monitoring and sharing campaign progress is a great way to keep the momentum going. Track the number of people participating, how much money each has raised, campaign totals and the total number of donations received. You may want to survey your fundraisers about what’s going well and what could be improved. Share this important information via email updates, in meetings and at events.

Social fundraising can be a great way to rally support, and the best part is it leverages those who are already passionate about your organization. Put this passion to good use and have fun while doing it with peer-to-peer fundraising.